Filtration units are used to filter a liquid, such as water, by typically submerging the filtration unit in the liquid. Vacuum is often used to force or pull liquid through membranes in the filtration unit to produce a filtered permeate. In order for the filtration unit to operate efficiently, the components need to be adequately sealed. Some existing filtration units include components that are permanently connected, for example glued or welded, to seal the components, which creates a single-piece component or filtration unit. In the event that one of the components fails or is damaged, the entire sealed unit often needs replaced at a significant cost. Therefore, there is an unmet need for an affordable sealed filtration unit that contains separate components that can be individually replaced as needed to control cost.
Additionally, filtration units can collect debris or scale during operation. To combat fouling, the filtration units can include a scouring component, such as an air scour, to reduce or prevent membranes from fouling and becoming blocked. Some existing air scour systems fail to evenly scour all the membrane surfaces or require additional components in order to do so. Scour systems also can dislodge debris that can collect in permeate feed conduits and clog or reduce flow to the filtration unit. Such flow disruptions can result in undesirable pressure drop and performance in the filter. Therefore, there is also an unmet need for an adequate air scour unit that evenly scours all membranes surfaces in a filtration unit that can ensure continuous flow to the permeate section.